ABSTRACT
The argument about universality and selectivity in the allocation of social benefits concerns the character, distribution and limits of social rights. The arguments about universality and selectivity had perhaps their clearest expression in British debates of the late 1960s. The arguments of the universalists stemmed most centrally from the claim that in a society divided by class and increasingly by race, the social inclusiveness and equality of treatment of universal entitlement to benefits contributed to social integration. The case for universality gave higher priority to social than economic concerns, but its proponents were critical of the economic arguments made on behalf of selectivity. Citizenship has often been directly and literally equated with universality in the provision of benefits. In actuality universal and selective income support instruments have been differently developed from country to country, the income support systems of most countries combine elements of several kinds. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
